Ticket To Ride
by Crazy Dame
Summary: Her brother's been gone for two years and Janelle feels it's time to pack up and find a better place to be. Of course certain people don't want to let her go without a fight. // Pre-movie. BillyxOFC. Rated M for language, sexual content,& dark themes.
1. Into My Life

_There are places I remember_  
_ All my life though some have changed_  
_ Some forever not for better_  
_ Some have gone and some remain_  
_ All these places have their moments_  
_ With lovers and friends I still can recall_  
_ Some are dead and some are living_  
_ In my life I've loved them all_

_- In My Life_, The Beatles_  
_

* * *

She was aware of his presence the exact moment he had stepped into the office; the gentle creak of a well worn leather trench coat announcing him. But that didn't prompt her to look up from the paperwork she was filling out diligently, a grease tainted hand scribbling information into the needed places. The sound of heavy boots was muffled by the matted carpet as they traversed the from the door to her desk.

"Anyone ever complain about customer service, girl?" Billy leaned down to place his hands against the edge of her desk, heavy body leaning down to level an icy blue stare at the raven haired woman. "I'm thinkin' I need to have a talk with your manager."

Snapping her gum loudly the woman looked up to lock her own amber eyes on his, her right hand following the movement of her head so as to rest her elbow against the desk and her chin in her open palm. Without another word said she slowly blew another bubble in a sign of defiance.

Billy smirked and straightened up, but not without popping the bubble while doing so. "Where's my car?"

Chuckling under her breath the woman leaned back in her chair as her tongue danced along her lips in an effort to pull all the gum back into her mouth, a chuckle escaping her as Billy watched with rapt attention as she did so. It was in a matter of moments that Billy's eyes were trailing over sun kissed skin as they stepped into the morning sun, the oversized black v-neck shirt she was wearing tied off to the side in an effort to keep it from becoming too much of a nuisance.

Keys twirled around the end of a lithe index finger as she led the way to his beloved '69 For Mustang. Once they reached their destination deep behind the garage she stopped to admire the shiny toy parked before them. Her head canted gently to the right, sending a wave of curls over her shoulder.

"Mmm," came the soft sound as her eyes drank in the beauty of the muscle car. Giving the keys one last twirl around her finger she stopped short of handing them off to Billy, whose hand was poised above hers to take them. She turned to face him with her eyes squinted just a bit to fend off the sun as she looked up at him. "Try not to fuck up the tranny again or the next time you do I'm not fixing it."

"Oh, you break my heart, girl." Calloused fingers reached for the keys and when they were pulled away he frowned, breath sucked in through his teeth. "Janelle, c'mon. I don't have time for this."

It was then that that the girl stepped up to jab her extended fingerd into Billy's chest, the keys now clenched against the palm of her hand. "I'm serious, Billy. It breaks my heart to even think that although I'm telling you to take care of her this is all just going in one ear and out the other."

He winced. More so at her tone than the fact that she was digging a finger in his chest. "Nah, I'm listening. Can I have my keys now or am I goin' to have to take them from you?"

At that she tossed the keys up into the air for him to catch before turning and heading the way they came. "I'll go unlock the gate."

Billy turned to watch after her, "I hate to see you go but I love to watch you leave."

Two fingers were all he received in return.


	2. Ticket To Ride

_I don't know why she's riding so high_  
_She ought to think twice_  
_She ought to do right by me_

_Before she gets to saying goodbye_  
_She ought to think twice_  
_She ought to do right by me_

-_Ticket To Ride_, The Beatles

* * *

It's three in the morning when she wakes up in a cold sweat; body overtaken by uncontrollable shudders that shake the bed as she tries to sit up. Pulling deep breaths of air into her lungs she closes her eyes to will herself to calm down, the darkness pressing in around her. It was in the effort of calming down, of trying to get the loud beating of her heart to quell, that she realized that it was raining. Upon opening her eyes to the dark a flash of lightning lit up the sky outside her bedroom windows.

Forcing herself to lay back down she turned onto her side, curling her knees up to her chest she buried her head beneath her pillow. But she had hardly had the chance to do that when the sound of Lynard Skynard's "Simple Man" began to play from her nightstand- which meant that Billy was calling. Fingers slapped wood as she searched without looking and once the vibrating instrument of her current annoyance was found she pulled it beneath the pillow.

She did the best she could to clear the sleep from her voice, "You better not tell me that your car needs fixing..."

"Open up." Came the gruff reply and Janelle instantly knew something was wrong.

Hanging up without another word she got out of bed and padded out of the room. Without so much as breaking her stride her fingers found the switch of her living room and she blinked rapidly at the introduction of light. Clad in nothing more than a tank and a pair of boy shorts she pulled on robe, the sash tied around her waist, she unlocked the door and the sight before her made her groan.

Billy was a mess of a bloody nose, split lip, and bruises. When he entered the room it was with a noticeable limp.

"What the fuck happened to you?" She didn't waste time in closing the door behind him and trailing him into the living room where he took a seat on the couch. He gave her a look as if asking if he really needed to explain. But of course that the look that she returned meant that he did.

Billy grunted and shook his head, a large hand rubbing the back of his neck with a wince. "One of these little punks didn't show for their shift and the rest is history."

Janelle reappeared in the living room with the first aid kit in hand, along with a bottle of Jack. "Why the hell do you put up with his bullshit? Why don't you just pack up and blow?" She took a seat on the coffee table across from him and handing him the bottle of whiskey she set to work on cleaning him up the best she could. This was routine.

He smirked as he worked on opening the bottle, his now dull blue eyes staring at her in response. "Where the fuck else am I supposed to go, Elle? What, I'm supposed to pick up and set up shop somewhere else? Play the role of a law abidin' citizen? I don't know if you've looked at me lately- but I don't belong in suburbia." With his piece said he took a swig of alcohol with a pained grunt as the amber liquid met the cut of his lip.

Janelle leaned forward to clean his nose with a gentleness anyone outside the garage wouldn't have believed. She leaned in close to make sure that she was cleaning him up right, applying just the right amount of pressure to achieve her goal. "You chose to brand yourself the way you did, B. You've got no one else to blame for wearing your way of life on your skin. And you know that both you and Joey could get so far away from here if you wanted to."

Billy stared at her in disbelief. "So you're sayin' all this shit is MY fault?"

"All I'm saying is that you could have done something else with yourself. Joe too. Saved up some money and jet." Now they were having an all out staring contest; icy blue against warm amber gold. It was in that instant that Billy realized that her eyes were the same hue of the contents of the bottle in his possession. They continued to stare at each other for another few moments before Janelle broke eye contact to return to her job at hand, eyes falling away to the first aid kit she was rummaging through for a butterfly bandage.

"For all this heat you're givin' me why are you still here? Why haven't you packed up shop and disappeared?" Billy's remark was snide at best but the smirk on his face quickly disappeared as the raven haired woman worked on applying the bandage to his busted nose. "Fuck, take it easy!"

Janelle chuckled before leaning back to survey her work before leaning forward again to level an equal stare at Billy, her elbows propped against her knees, hands crossing at the wrists. "Why the hell do you think I work as hard as I do? I bust my ass twenty-four seven at the garage. I don't plan to stay any longer than the rest of this year, Billy. Six more months and I'm out of here."

The man on the couch scoffed and watched as she gathered the peroxide and used cotton pads. "So, just like that, huh. Must be nice to leave people behind. Convenient."

Having stood up Janelle looked down the slope of her nose at him, a brow quirked in response. "There's nothing to tie me here anymore, Billy. Jordan's gone. What, I'm supposed to keep mourning my brother for the rest of my life?" She shook her head as she disappeared into her bedroom to return everything to it's rightful place.

Billy stared at the now vacant space Janelle had only occupied moments before, silent. The strong muscles worked along his jaw in a steady constant motion. For those that knew him were aware that when his jaw worked so hard is wasn't necessarily a very good sign. He worked another two deep pulls from the bottle of JD when Janelle returned and sunk down onto the couch next to him.

They remained silent for a while and listened to the rain continue to pour outside the apartment. There was a flash of lightning that was soon followed by a crack of thunder that sent a jolt through Janelle out of sheer surprise. Billy slowly turned his head to look at her before offering the bottle of whiskey that she accepted without a word. Only after Janelle had downed half the fiery liquid herself did she hand it back to Billy.

"The nightmares started up again." Was all she offered as she closed her eyes and scratched her head, her unruly curls hiding her face from his view for that instant. She didn't have to look up to him to feel the heat of his gaze on her but she did so anyway to keep him from burning a hole through her.

"When?"

"A couple weeks ago."

"When were you plannin' to tell me?" He studied her profile as she looked across the living room to the few pictures that were hung on the wall. They were various snapshots of what their life was like when they had been teenagers; he, Jordan, Janelle and the rest of the crew. Happier times so to speak.

In those times Jordan had been Bones enforcer. His right hand. In those times Billy had been Jordan's second in command, his best mate... and within all that semi-dated Janelle in the process. Or rather, they had tried it and gone through the hot and heavy stage of the relationship pretty quickly before calling it quits. Their friendship had remained intact despite their involvement. Though there were moments where Billy's mind would drift...

"I don't know. They go away for months and then just reappear out of nowhere. You'd think I'd be over this by now." She smirked and looked over at Billy and reached out to place a cool hand against the back of the man's neck, pinky finger lazily tracing over one of the tribal marks there. "I'm gonna go get you a pillow and a blanket."

Billy hung his head as he felt her touch slowly slip away from him as she rose from the couch and disappeared once more into her bedroom. He listened as the closet door opened and she sighed, the sound of her footsteps just a tad heavier now that she had a few things in her arms.

"You're leavin' because you're tryin' to forget what happened to your brother," he said slowly as he stood to shrug out of his leather coat, his eyes registering the minute tic that took place in her left shoulder after she had dropped the load of pillows and blankets on the couch.

"No, I'm leaving because I know there's got to be somewhere better to be than here. I'm tired of this place, Billy." She turned away and began to set up the makeshift bed. "This place feeds on misery, fear, and the pain of those who don't know any better than to pack up and leave. What was here for me is gone and there's not reason for me to stay." She felt the weight of his gaze but didn't look up to meet it.

Billy locked his jaw hard and nodded although he knew she couldn't see it. "So me and my brother don't mean nothin' to you, am I understandin' you correctly?" He reached out and gripped Janelle's slim upper arm firmly to turn her to face him. His lips were pulled down in an angered frown. "Or how about Bodie and the rest of the boys?"

Having no other option but to face him Janelle allowed herself to be turned and looked up at him. The look she was wearing was all the more to make Billy's blood boil; she was completely nonchalant.

"Fuck you, Janelle." Large fingers released her and Billy turned to grab his jacket from the coffee table. He shook his bald head all the way to the door, the limp that he had entered with all but gone in the presence of his pride. He didn't bother looking back at her as he left and made sure to slam the door to drive his point home.

She wasn't sure how long she had stood there after he left but once she had bothered to move she sunk down onto the couch and curled up into the place Billy's body was supposed to have been. She stared at the door in silence before closing her eyes and willing herself to sleep.


	3. Drive My Car

_Baby, you can drive my car_

_Yes I'm gonna be a star  
Baby, you can drive my car_

_And maybe I'll love you_

-_ Drive My Car_, The Beatles

* * *

It had been a week since Janelle had last seen or spoken to Billy and thankfully there had been more than enough work at the garage to keep her mind off of him and their conversation. Within the past seven days, when work died down just enough to give her a moment to breathe, she replayed the scene and imagined herself not having held her tongue. That instead she had told him the absolute truth. But what good would it have done her if she had been honest? No, because the second she would have opened her mouth and told him that the last thing she wanted to do was to leave them he would have started in on his spiel as to why she shouldn't leave in the first place.

It was true, the boys were all the family she had left... But if things continued to worsen, and they ultimately would with Bones still reigning over the span of a few blocks, she would end up alone in one way or another.

She was better off being the one to leave first, no matter whether spiritually or physically.

She was better off lying.

Not having realized that she had slouched into her chair she straightened herself up with a groan as she noticed that the time read 10:48 pm on the clock above the door when her phone went off. Although the garage had long since closed she was still locked away in the office filling out the ever-piling paperwork needed to order parts that were needed. A toned arm reached out to allow slim fingers to pluck the device from the desk so as to read the caller id.

"Hello?" She leaned back in her chair as she popped her knuckles, Bodie's smooth laughter greeting her in response.

"Andretti! We are in need of your services tonight."

"C'mon now, Bodie, you know I don't roll like that anymore. Get Heco to do it." There was laughter in the background as she caught the tail end of a joke.

"No dice, mamasita, Heco's on duty tonight. That's the only reason why I'm calling you."

Janelle laughed. "Wow, straight to the point. Can't even lie that you want to see me or something to sweeten up the deal."

"Shit, girl, you know I'm always down to see you. I'll see you here in twenty."

"I didn't even agree to come thr-"

"See you here in twenty." With that Bodie hung up, leaving Janelle to stare at the phone in silence.

A few minutes passed that she sat there, the steady click of the seconds hand on the clock serving as a metronome. Each tick going by meaning "To go... or not to go..."

Within fifteen minutes she was pulling up to Billy's apartment building. The boys hadn't yet descended but she knew they were there as both the Mustang and the Plymouth were parked out front. Leather clad fingers killed the low purr of her motorcycle's engine and her left sneakered foot made quick work of the kickstand. With one clean sweep of her right leg she dismounted her ride of choice, now naked fingers working at the strap of her helmet before hands were pulling it off to allow inky waves of black to escape and she turned her head towards the sound of laughter spilling from the front of the building. As she had turned to face the group her eyes landed on Billy but it was only for a moment before Joe was suddenly in her line of sight and throwing his arm over her shoulder with Bodie on his heels.

Joe whistled softly as he ran a hand over the Ninja's curves with a lustful look. "When are you going to let me ride this thing, Elle?"

"When you grow a pair." Came Bodie's reply after he had placed a kiss to Janelle's cheek with a smile. She busied herself with stuffing her gloves into her helmet to hide her own smile from Joe as he scowled and punched at the other man's shoulder in response.

"Am I driving the Plymouth?" The question having been met with silence prompted her to look up in time to see keys being tossed to her and her hand instinctively snapped out to catch them. Metal bit into skin as fingers clutched the ring of keys to her palm, her eyes finding Billy's.

"Nah, you're drivin' my car. Joe, keep an eye on her bike while we're gone." As Joe groaned in response to being left behind Billy quirked his head towards the apartment building while he fixed his coat. "Get."

No questions were asked as Janelle pulled the sleeves of her own fitted leather jacket up her arms to rest against the crooks of her elbows, hands bouncing the keys from one to the other as she walked around to the driver's side of the car and climbed in. While Bodie, Jamie, and Tommy piled into the back seat she worked on fixing the driver's side and rearview mirror before fitting the key into the ignition and turning the engine over. The boys chuckled as Janelle gave a little shiver at the rumble of the engine and she flashed them a smile of her own in return. But all smiles faded as Billy slid into the passenger seat with a grim face.

"Head south, I'll tell you where to turn off." Billy's voice was matter-of-fact and the silence that followed was filled with the familiar metallic clicks of the boys loading up. "Make a left up here."

She did as she was told, eyes drinking in the changing neighborhood landscape. The boys remained silent as they continued to head south into the even seedier part of town where the buildings were held together out of sheer hope and will of the occupants still living inside them. Well, if living was what you wanted to call it.

"Turn here and creep." Billy leaned towards her to get a good look out the driver's side window as they strolled by a dilapidated two story house. "This is it."

The bodies in the back seat shifted in anticipation as Janelle backed the Mustang into an alley and killed the engine for the time being. Leaning forward she cast a glance out the front windshield to stare at the house the group was going to pay a visit to. Her mind unwound a list of primary reasons as to why this was going to go happen and all involved the highest level of disrespect towards either Bones or Billy himself.

In having had a clear view of the house she leaned back into the seat and looked around at the four men with a smirk. "Call me when you're ready."

Bodie chuckled and reached over the seat to grip her shoulder lightly in response before there was the pop of the passenger side door as it opened and the men climbed out as quietly as possible. Only when she thought the door was going to close did Billy lean back in to look at her.

"There's a Sig in the glove box."

With that the door was closed and she was left to trail her eyes after the men as they stalked across the street with dangerous gaits and faces of stone. She didn't bother to watch them as they entered the house and instead opted to keep an eye on the street. After about ten minutes of silence an uneasy feeling began to climb the vertebrae of her spine and the feeling only worsened when she saw two '96 Bonnevilles pull up to the house.

Teeth ground themselves together as she started the car with a growl and she had no later peeled out of the alley when shots rang out in rapid succession. In the mere seconds it took for her to pull up to the house with a screeching halt were the boys jetting out of the house and across the sparse front lawn to meet her. By the time that the men in the other two cars had realized what had happened Billy was slamming the car door shut.

"Go."

Janelle didn't bother checking to see if anyone had been hurt and instead focused on the task she had been called upon to do. Both her feet and hands worked in unison to get the car into first gear, second, and then third following shortly thereafter as she peeled down the street like a bat out of hell. Being unable to see through the rear window due to the three men in the back she stole a glance at the driver's side mirror to notice that both Bonnevilles were giving chase.

The Mustang swerved onto the main street they had traveled down but in the opposite direction from which they came.

Billy scowled and craned his neck to see where the other two cars were. "What the fuck do you think you're doin?"

"What you asked me to." Janelle narrowed her eyes as the two Pontiacs turned their high beams on in an effort to make her blind. But that was the least of her worries as bullets began to riddle the road around them.

Despite the fact that she was, quite frankly, responsible for all the lives residing within the vehicle Janelle was calm. Which was the reason why Billy trusted her as much as he did with both his car and his own life.

"Janelle..." The name dripped from Billy's lips in warning.

"They have to reload sometime, Billy." Timing was everything.

The men in the back chuckled and then swore as Janelle sent the car into a sharp u-turn without warning and gunned the Mustang for all she knew it was worth, the speedometer reading that she was hitting a buck ten. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Billy gripping the door, nostrils flared, staring straight ahead with determination etched into his features. The kind of determination meaning that he wanted to face head on whatever would happen in the next few moments.

"Gun," she demanded while extending her right hand and wiggling her fingers in an effort to get someone moving. Tommy's Beretta was what met her upturned palm first.

"Wet and ready for you, baby girl!" Tommy howled with a crazed grin before drumming his hands against the car's ceiling in all his excitement. It wasn't long before Jamie followed suit and then Bodie; their hands working up a crazy frenzy as a drum roll for what was about to occur.

The change of course obviously meant that they were now headed straight towards the opposing cars and with a deep breath Janelle put her left hand on the steering wheel and aimed the gun in her right out the window towards the car that was quickly getting closer. Without a word Billy followed her cue and as the Mustang dusted past the two Bonnevilles two shots were fired.

Four necks broke to look back as the cars lost control and crashed into opposite sides of the street with the sound of metal meeting pavement. All four men howled in pure delight and she allowed herself to crack a smile of self satisfaction as she stole a glance through the side mirror.

"Hot damn, girl!" Came Bodie's voice from over her shoulder. "I'm goin' to need some serious pussy tonight to work off this high."

After she had put the gun's safety on did she hold it out for Tommy to take back from her and once he did she worked on downshifting so that they were closer to the speed limit than they had been moments before. Stealing a glance at the rearview mirror she watched as the the three men there grinned back at her before she looked over to find Billy looking at her with a smirk.

"The Four Roses."

Moments later that was exactly where they were and already three shots in. Janelle sat at the end of the table with beer in hand and a smile on her face as she listened to Baggy tell the present crew a story while they waited for Heco to arrive. Billy watched the group from the bar as he downed his fourth shot and immediately asked for the fifth in his wanting to intercept the last to arrive. As he watched from afar he took note of the way his men interacted with Janelle, the way that they almost lay themselves at her feet. She was one of a kind.

Billy forced his eyes away from the scene with a shake of his head in an attempt to fight off the resurfacing memory of the last conversation he had had with Janelle in her apartment and the look she had given him in response to his question of whether or not she cared for any of them. The mere memory was enough to ignite the pilot light of his temper and that's exactly what it was doing. Broad back turned to the room as he downed his fifth shot and worked on chugging down the rest of his beer in an effort to cool off.

The sound of the bar's door opening provided him a break as he cut his eyes to Heco walking in. Slamming his empty mug down on the bar Billy turned to his friend with open arms. "You better have some fuckin' good news for me."

Heco grinned and pulled at the strap of the bag slung over his shoulder and swung it so as to hit Billy's chest. "Five g's, homeboy."

Billy grabbed at the dingy book bag with a skeptical look, fingers gripping the worn material. "Bullshit."

"Count it," came Heco's smooth response though the grin on his face hadn't faded.

Billy's grin mirrored Heco's in intensity and he licked his lips and nodded in approval of the way the night had gone. Reaching out he pulled Heco close by the back of his own bald head and pulled him into a hug only to nod him towards the crew seated around the table. Steely blue eyes watched as the last man was greeted with shouts and claps on the back and with the bag still gripped in one hand Billy turned to look at Sammy.

"Keep the drinks comin'."

The night stretched on with more stories and an abundance of liquor and laughter in response as they all took turns jibing each other. And as Bodie straightened up to retell the adventure that he had been a part of earlier that night Janelle leaned back comically to slouch into her seat, her hands rising to hide her face as if in embarrassment.

Bodie pointed a finger at her and blinked hard in an effort to focus his vision on the girl, "Don't even play that shit with me, Janelle. You knew what the fuck you were doin'."

"Fuck. Yeah." Chimed in Tommy with a howl as he held his drink up in cheers to her and the other men followed with nods of approval, mugs and shot glasses held in the air. Billy's tattooed arm was the last to rise as Janelle righted herself with a shake of her wavy hair.

"You guys are so blitzed... So I'm going to milk this for all it's worth." Heavy laughter spilled over her lips as she shrugged herself out of her jacket, revealing the black wife beater beneath, and stood holding her own beer above the others.

"To Janelle," Bodie started.

"The hottest piece of ass I've ever laid eyes on," Spink interjected with a wink.

The men laughed and Bodie nodded, clearly unable to disagree with the statement. "That too. But on some serious shit- this is for our girl-"

"To our girl," Billy cut in while tilting his head back to look up at Janelle with a smirk as he raised his glass higher still to match the height of her beer. In the instant that they locked eyes she knew what was coming. "The deserter." As the words left his lips the other men looked between Janelle and their leader in stunned silence.

Janelle scoffed softly with a nod of her head before laughing in realizing that she shouldn't have expected Billy to act any less of a dick now that he was drunk. She took it in stride and tilted her beer towards him silent cheers before taking a deep pull from her mug.

Tommy was the first to drop his mug on the table, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"She's leavin'," Billy answered with a nod towards Janelle, who, up until then, had remained standing. "Tell 'em."

As all eyes turned to her Janelle gave one nod of her head to confirm that what Billy had said was true. Although she hadn't spoken any words the simple gesture was more than enough to turn everyone's mood sour.

"When the hell were you plannin' to tell us?" The owner of that question was Heco and the furrow of his brow only deepened when Janelle stared back at him.

Spink pushed his beer away roughly before slamming a fist down against the table. "The fuck, Janelle."

It was at that that Janelle reacted, but not in the way that was expected. Instead of raising her voice and making a fool of herself, which she was sure was the reaction that Billy had been aiming for, she opted to calmly place her mug on the table and lean forward as her hands staked claim along the scarred surface. Despite the fact that she had consumed a lot more alcohol than she would have liked to admit she willed her vision to focus on the men gathered before her.

"It's true, I'm leaving. End of the year." Heavy lidded eyes traveled from face to face and she drank in all the emotions staring back at her; anger, hurt, betrayal. "You're going to look me in the face and tell me that you actually expect me to stay here for the rest of my life? Have me sitting here night after night worrying about which one isn't going to turn up... really?" With a smirk at that she righted herself and turned to grab her jacket, hands making quick work of pulling it on and pulling her curls free from the collar. "I love you guys but you're a bunch of selfish dicks."

As the last words left her mouth she turned her head to look at Billy and without hesitation, and not giving him the chance to react, she reached out to knock his mug of beer over, the lukewarm liquid spilling over the surface of the table and meeting the front of his jeans. "Maybe that'll help cool your hot headed ass down, hm?"

Billy chuckled darkly and nodded slowly in acknowledgment of what had just happened, his tongue dancing over trembling lips as his anger boiled over. Standing slowly he ran a large hand down the front of his jeans in an effort to slick some of the beer away but it was fruitless and when he brought his head back up to level a menacing glare at Janelle she was no longer there. Shooting a look at the men around him he knocked his chair aside and went after her, fuming the entire way as the front of his jeans stuck to legs which only served to annoy him further.

As he stepped outside he noticed that Janelle was well on her way down the street. "JANELLE," he roared, deep voice biting out her name as he worked on closing the distance between them. "Janelle, I'm fuckin' talkin' to you."

Janelle turned around to face him with a incredulous laugh as she threw her arms into the air, her feet continuing to take her down the street albeit in reverse. She refused to stop. "There's nothing to talk about, Billy. Enjoy your beer. Good night."

Just like that Janelle turned her back on him and the instant she did she regretted it. There was the sound of heavy footsteps nearing closer and it wasn't much longer after that that Billy's thick fingers were wrapping around her upper arm to whip her around to face him. The anger ebbed off of him in heavy waves, crashing into Janelle with enough intensity to make the hairs along her arms stand on end.

"What? What is there to talk about after the shit you just pulled?" Shrugging up her shoulder she forcefully pulled her arm out of his grip and backed up, her own anger surfacing. "I planned to tell them myself but given that you've already taken care of that part I don't need to worry about breaking anyone's heart."

Billy sneered, "When were you plannin' to tell 'em, the day you left? Us rollin' through and findin' you gone?"

Her eyes widened at his words and she stepped forward, voice rising in her growing anger. "Yeah, because I'd leave without telling any one! Besides the fact that we grew up together is a perfect reason for you to think something like that." Reaching out she placed a hand on his head only for him to pull away quickly. "I don't know what's going on in that head of yours but you really need to pull it out of your ass."

She watched as Billy turned his back on her with a low growl of frustration and raising a hand he rubbed at the top of his head roughly. Trying to keep himself in check while alcohol was coursing through his system was proving to be a hell of a lot harder given the way the night had turned out. His hand moved to rub over his face, blunt nails scratching at his chin.

There were a million different things he could say. Hell, that he _should_... but they'd never be said.

In silence Billy began to head back towards the bar without a glance to Janelle because he knew that she was no longer there.


	4. Two Of Us

_You and I have memories  
Longer than the road that stretches out ahead_

- _Two Of Us_, The Beatles

* * *

The last thing she remembered was the sound of her brother's voice but the memory faded and she slowly opens her eyes to the darkness of her bedroom. She didn't know what it was that woke her and there's moment of silence before the sound came again. In slow realization her mind recalled that the sound belonged to her phone; her phone was ringing.

Or more specifically, the music that was playing was coming from somewhere within her sheets. Shifting with a groan she kicked at the covers before she was awarded with a dull thump of her phone meeting the carpet. And in the effort it took for her to grab it from the floor her mind registered that the song playing belonged to Joe. Fingers fumbled awkwardly in the dark and she squinted against the brightness of the screen as the call was accepted.

"Yeah?" she greeted groggily.

There came the sound of something moving ,rubbing against the phone before Joe's voice carried across the line. "Janelle, it's me. I need you to come over. Like, right now."

Joe's voice didn't exactly shake but in the tone in which he spoke to her flagged that something was wrong.

"What's up?" She groaned softly as she sat up to throw her legs over the edge of her bed, her free hand reaching out to turn on the bedside lamp; nevermind the fact that she almost knocked it over twice in the process. Squinting at the small phone screen was nothing compared to her eyes threatening to melt from their sockets as the lamp came on.

"Billy's pretty busted up. I... I don't know what to do."

Janelle stumbled out of bed, head swimming. "It's ok. Where is he?"

"I got him as far as his bed. He's laid out."

Canting her head she held the phone to her ear with the aid of her shoulder as she pulled on her jeans with a grunt, "Ok. Don't move him. I'll be there in a bit. Joe?" She straightened up so her hand now held the phone once again while she searched for her sneakers.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm here. The front door'll be unlocked."

With that they hung up and Janelle set to work running around the apartment with her first stop being the bathroom. She rubbed furiously at her face as she searched the cabinets under sink for what she needed, hands flinging and pushing things aside in the process. While fighting off a yawn she stuffed everything into her bag as she mentally checked items off- _rubbing alcohol, gauze, scissors, hydrogen peroxide, cotton balls, iodine, bandages, tape, needle, surgical thread_- and in finding that she all that was necessary she left her apartment.

Despite the blow out that she and Billy had had a few weeks before she wasn't petty enough to hold it against him now, not when Joe needed her. Or, more specifically, Billy himself. She could easily go back to ignoring him once he was patched up and good to go. Fighting off the last remnants of sleep that clung to her she pulled her hair into a loose ponytail as she made her way out of her apartment building, easily jumping the four steps that made up the front stoop.

Forgoing her helmet she mounted her motorcycle and willed the voice within her head to quiet with the reasons as to why Joe had called, the reasons contributing as to why Billy was in such bad shape, and the images of what he could possibly look like right at that moment. It was really not something she was looking forward to. Revving the engine she pulled away from the curb with a deep breath and a silent prayer.

"Joe?" She peeked her head around the door as she walked into the apartment to find him sitting on the couch, his phone clutched in his hand. The look on his face as he saw her was one of instant relief and that of the pain that he felt for his older brother.

Joe fidgeted and gave her an awkward smile. "Hey."

Janelle gave him a small smile as she closed the door behind herself and worked at pulling the strap of her bag up and over her head, her feet leading the way to the right towards Billy's room. Upon entering she grimaced at the sight of his large body sprawled out across the queen sized mattress upon the box spring that rested against the floor, arms and legs hanging over the edges of the bed in uncomfortable angles that she knew was Billy's own doing, not Joe's.

The lone lamp in the corner of the room did little to help his appearance and she could do nothing but sigh upon getting a closer look.

By what she could see Billy's left eye was close to being swollen shut, the cut of his nose that she had helped to close at one point in time was now reopened and worse than before, not to mention that his bottom lip was split once again. Given that this was only what his _face_ looked like she steeled herself for what was coming next.

"Do me a favor; have you talked to Bodie yet? Heco?" Janelle crouched down to open her bag, rummaging through it carefully.

"Nah, not yet. You were the first person I thought of, " he answered quietly.

She nodded before standing, scissors in hand. "Ok, call Bodie and let him know that he's a man down tonight. Tell him I'll give him a call as soon as I'm done."

Joe swallowed hard before leaving the room to do as he was asked.

Pulling a deep breath into her lungs she grabbed the hem of Billy's plain shirt with her free hand while it's counterpart began to slice up the middle in an effort to pull fabric away from skin; the sound filling the space around her being that of the scissors parting black cotton. No matter how many times in her past twelve years of life that she had to play nurse to any of these guys was she prepared to take on what lay beneath their shirts... And the fact that there were mottling bruises and gashes along Billy's ribs did not make her task any easier.

"Fuck, Billy," she breathed while straightening up to get a better look at the damage from where she was standing.

Ribs were fractured she was sure with the way that his skin was slowly darkening thanks to the red blood cells breaking down beneath the surface. Given whom it was she was dealing with she knew that trying to convince him to take it easy for a few days in an effort to allow his ribs to mend was going to be pointless but she would try regardless.

When Joe reentered the room she was bent over Billy's body, gauze and peroxide in hand. "What did Bodie say?"

"He's waiting for you to call," he answered, tucking the phone into the front pocket of his jeans. Motionless he watched from the door as she cleaned the wounds with a steady hand, only halting when there was a hitch in Billy's breath hinting that he was in pain despite the fact that he was out cold. "Is he gonna be ok?"

"Yeah." She looked up and gave him a little smile of reassurance. "Help me get all this off."

In a matter of seconds Billy was down to only his jeans and Janelle was seated along the edge of the bed stitching him up while Joe spent the better half of the time walking in and out of the room to check in on them. As she worked she could hear him wandering around the apartment aimlessly in search of something to busy himself with.

Forty-five minutes later she walked out of the room to find Joe sitting at the small dinette table in the kitchen, book in hand. The sight was not a common one and with a quirked brow she stood at the sink to wash her hands.

"What're you reading?"

Joe looked up sharply in surprise to find her standing there. "Um... damn," he laughed, closing the book to read the title to her. "_American Psycho_."

It was Janelle's turn to look surprised. Drying her hands she wandered over before holding a hand out to take the book from him, eyes darting over the front cover and then the back.

"Wow. This book..." she fished for the correct words to convey her feelings and instead opted to just shake her head as she handed it back. "Come talk to me once you're done reading it."

The younger man cracked a smile and gave her a shrug, "Yeah. I found it in Billy's room. Thought I'd give it a shot."

Janelle returned his smile while running a hand playfully through his hair. "Imagine if the world found out that the Darley's read."

"Hey, keep it on the low. We've got a rep to protect."

"Your secret is safe with me, " she scoffed and rolled her eyes before walking out of the kitchen but not without Joe trailing behind her. The space that served to be the living room wasn't all that large but it worked in housing two separate, albeit mismatched, couches comfortably; one of which she claimed for herself by dropping onto it, the springs crying out in response.

Joe took a seat next to her but she noticed that he still hadn't relaxed.

"Hey." Reaching out she pushed at the back of Joe's head in an effort to gain his attention- which it did. "Billy's going to be ok. He needs to take it easy for a while though."

Joe nodded and the silence that stretched on between them was palpable. When Joe spoke again it was as if the bubble of quiet that had settled around them was broken and suddenly all the buzz of the apartments around them returned.

"Is it true?"

Janelle felt her heart drop, and in hope that this question wasn't what she _knew_ it was leading to she quirked a brow in response. "Is what true?"

The younger man continued to look over at her from over his shoulder, the look on his face unreadable for the most part. "That you're takin' off."

"Yeah," she replied softly with a nod of her head.

His eyes traveled away from her as he seemed to consider her answer before looking back. "Where you goin'?"

"California."

"Who do you know in Cali?"

Amber eyes bore into the side of Joe's face in silent humor. "Are we playing twenty questions now?"

"Just answer me, " he replied with a smirk that was a mirror of his brother's. "I need to know whose ass to kick for taking you away from us."

She chuckled and leaned forward in a mimic of the way that Joe was currently sitting, elbows resting against knees. "One of the guys that used to work with Jordan moved out there and opened up his own garage... he offered me spot and I accepted." She eyed Joe hard at the skeptical look she received in return. "Trust me that there is no guy romancing me out to the opposite side of the U.S."

"So what? There's a garage here. Why can't you stay?" Came the strained response.

"Because I need a break from all of this," she sighed while leaning back to rest her head against the back of the couch.

Joe turned his body to follow after her although he remained seated. "From _what_, Janelle... From us? Don't know what you expect to be so different over there."

"The weather for one," she started with a lopsided smile.

"You know what I mean," he shot back with narrowed eyes. After glaring at her for a moment he turned his back on her and dropped his head so he could stare at his hands. When he spoke again his voice was much quieter. "Billy doesn't fuckin' know what to do with himself."

Slowly she straightened up but remained silent as he continued.

"He doesn't say it but it's not like he has to." As Janelle opened her mouth to ask what it was he was talking about Joe took the chance to look back over his shoulder at her to answer. "Billy's in love with you, Elle. Has been for as long as I can remember."

Janelle felt the Earth shift on its axis as the words left Joe's mouth. There had been so many nights that she had stayed awake thinking that perhaps, on some sort of level, Billy felt that way for her... But over the years and the things that had unfolded both between them and the crew she felt that maybe he wasn't capable of loving another besides Joe. Of course there had been moments he let her see what he _could_ have been like when they had been younger but as the time stretched on those moments became fewer before altogether disappearing.

Willing herself to breathe she shook her head and closed her eyes to keep Joe from seeing what it was she was feeling; sorrow. "I don't think he knows what it is to love someone, Joe. Besides you."

Turning to face her completely Joe moved to kneel on the floor. "I know he doesn't do such a great job of showin' it... but when you've got someone like Bones breathin' down your neck the way Billy does he's got no choice but to shut himself off. I have to fight him to open up to me and I'm his brother." He smirked and leaned back on his heels to stand. "He thinks it'd be easier to let you go if he acts like an asshole. Don't forget to call Bodie."

Eyes still closed all she could do was nod and only after she heard the click of Joe's bedroom door closing did she reopen her eyes. Despite the fact that her heart was heavy she couldn't exactly pinpoint the emotions coursing through her as they were so many. As her mind churned her hands patted at her jeans in search of her cell before it was found in one of her back pockets.

Willing herself to halt in the search for an explanation to the way things were going right at that moment she spent a few minutes on the phone explaining to Bodie the extent of Billy's injuries and that it meant that they were going to be one down for the next few days. Of course they both knew it meant that they would have to work harder to keep on Bones so-called good side and to also keep him from talking shit and searching Billy out himself. Once they had hung up she stretched out on the couch with a sigh, her mind drifting back to what Joe had just told her and before she had a chance to object she drifted off.

* * *

"_Billy's still got a thing for you." _

_Janelle slowly turned her head to look over her shoulder from her place at the stove, the spatula in her right hand having stilled in the middle of flipping a pancake. "It's eight in the morning and it sounds like you're still drunk. Grrrreat." Laughing she shook her head and turned her attention back to the task of making breakfast. "You want your eggs scrambled?"_

_Shaggy black bangs were shaken out of amber eyes as a slow grin curled the edges of his lips. He was seated at the kitchen table, elbows resting against its edge as he leaned forward to study her. "Scrambled's fine"_

_He watched her work quietly; the way her fingers moved, her hands. The tic that took place in her left shoulder made its appearance as it most often did when a comment was made that she didn't want to admit to. But he knew very well when she was annoyed as the tic turned into her popping her neck in an almost violent fashion with a quick movement of her head from left to right._

"_Quit staring, creep." _

"_Just making sure my breakfast's done right." _

_She moved quietly from one side of the kitchen to the other as she worked on disposing of all the eggshells , back still turned to him although he didn't need to see her face to know that she was smiling. After another few moments two plates were served and she was joining him at kitchen table; the clatter of silverware and the dull thumps of glasses fading away once she was seated._

_He dug in enthusiastically, eyes closed in complete rapture. "What would I do without you?"_

"_Starve."_

_They stared at one another in a beat of silence before cracking up into a fit of laughter. Janelle swatted at his hand to deter it from coming any closer to ruffling her hair and started in on her own plate._

"_So what's the deal with bringing Billy up so early in the morning?"_

"_Stating the obvious," he commented coolly, hiding his grin by taking another bite of his eggs._

_Janelle narrowed her eyes, "No... you're being an ass by instigating the conversation and not explaining."_

_This time he laughed. "Yo, there's no need for name calling."_

"_I'm just stating the obvious," she mimicked before sticking her tongue out at him childishly. Leaning back just a bit she worked on pulling her left foot up to rest her heel along the edge of her seat, waiting for the answer to her question. "Well?"_

"_Billy still carries you around with him. He doesn't say anything but it's not like he has to." There was the soft clink of a fork being placed on a now empty plate._

_She chuckled while in mid-chew and looked up, "Yeah, well, we tried the whole relationship thing- more than once- and that didn't work out too well."_

"_You can't fault him for trying," he offered after draining his glass of orange juice. "He's so busy trying to protect Joe that he doesn't think of himself. Doesn't give himself the chance to. Like me and you."_

_Quietly she pushed her empty plate away, "I don't ask you to compromise things for me, Jordan. I never have."_

"_You don't have to, Janelle. We protect what's ours; and if that means that we have to stop breathing to protect you we will." Giving her a little smile he stood only to lean over to place a kiss to the top of her head. "I'll see you at the garage. Thanks for breakfast."_

"_You're welcome," she called as the door closed._


	5. I'll Be Back

**Author's Note: Hello, hello! I would just like to take the moment to sincerely apologize for having taken so long in getting this chapter to you guys (all thanks to a combination of ill timed occurrences and my inspiration coming and going as it pleased) and I hope that you can forgive me. With that hope I'll throw out there as well that the next chapter is currently being worked on and will be added soon. :) (Did it work? Was I instantly forgiven?) Also! I'd like to thank those of you who have either reviewed the story thus far, added it to either your story alert, or made it a favorite. This makes me unbelievably happy. I really do hope to continue to please you all, but without further ado- please enjoy the next chapter. 3**

* * *

_I thought that you would realize  
That if I ran away from you  
That you would want me too  
But I got a big surprise  
Oh ho, oh ho, oh _

- _I'll Be Back_, The Beatles

* * *

Billy groaned as he fought to sit up against the pain radiating from his chest and the moment that his hands felt the gauze and bandages against his skin he knew that Janelle had been there. Limbs moved slowly as he worked to stand and with no great effort his spine popped and he cursed with a low groan at the discomfort. Bare feet shuffled against the floor as he made his way towards the bathroom to take a look at the damage.

Wincing as the fluorescent tube came on over the bathroom mirror he leaned in close as possible to the dingy mirror to inspect the stitches that adorned the skin around his left eye and along the left side of his nose. The wounds weren't all that major but he knew he would have scars. As gingerly as possible he touched the swollen flesh around his left eye and he muttered a curse under his breath; his vision would be limited for the next two days or so but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. With a careful step back he glanced down at his chest and drank in the bruises bleeding out from beneath the bandages and carefully as possible he pulled at the tape along the edge to peek beneath to see stitches there as well. Only after having carefully replaced the bandages did he run a hand over the back of his head, the stubble burning against his palm at the harsh friction.

He exited the bathroom after having had enough time to examine his newest battle scars and went on the hunt for a clean t-shirt that he pulled on with a hell of a lot more difficulty then he had imagined; or willing to admit to. Only after fighting with his shirt did he take a glance around his room and his jaw tightened at seeing that Janelle's bag was resting at the foot of his bed while his was nowhere in sight. The memories of the what had happened the night before came back in a rush and he bit the inside of his cheek in remembering that all the money that had been made was stolen.

All but needing a cane to make it back to his bed he ransacked the sheets for his phone; there were six missed calls and more than ten text messages waiting to be answered and thankfully nothing was waiting for him from Bones. Flipping the phone closed he clenched it tight in his hand, opting to keep to himself for the time being as he thought things through before calling Bodie or any of the other boys.

Bones was going to have his fucking head if he didn't find a quick solution to his current problem.

With a deep breath he willed himself to move, to do something other than stand in the middle of the room like a mook, and it only took the span of a few seconds to exit the room with a short stop at Joe's. Billy held his breath as he cracked the door open slowly to peek glance inside, his younger brother dead to world curled up on his side. With a smirk he carefully closed the door just as quietly as he had opened it, calloused fingers gripping the scratched doorknob as he eased the door back into place.

Briefly he imagined what the hell he looked like practically hobbling down the hallway like some sort of cripple. The thought caused him to smirk momentarily but as he emerged from the hallway he wasn't prepared to find Janelle sleeping on the couch; the result being that of all the muscles in his legs locking up and holding him in place, rooting him to the spot. As he stared at her he unconsciously gripped at the front of his shirt, fingers sliding across the bandages she applied.

The girl was a fucking saint and he was damn near the devil for treating her the way he did.

He ran his tongue along his bottom lip as he started forward to stand next to the couch, eyes drinking in the sight of her dozing- which he knew was uncomfortably upon the occasions that he had passed out there. Bending at the waist as far as he could he gently brushed wayward curls that had escaped her ponytail away from her face.

"Janelle," he murmured. "Janelle, get up."

Janelle stirred and cracked an eye open slowly to find Billy standing over her. "Whoa, " she croaked, voice heavy and laden with sleep, "Hey."

In that instant Billy was taken back to the time when he had woken up to her face day after day, and how much he had loved the way her voice sounded when she was chasing sleep away.

"C'mon, get up," he tried again with a gentle nod of his head. "Go lay down in my bed."

Slowly Janelle sat up and threw her legs over the side of the couch with a groan, a hand rising to rub at her neck. "What time is it?"

"Don't worry about what time it is. Go lay down." he countered while continuing to look down at her.

Squinting up at him she smirked and worked to stand, realizing that she had fallen asleep wearing her shoes. "What about you?"

"What about me?" He watched as she stepped forward to close the space between them, a hand rising to lightly skirt over the stitches adorning the corner of his eye and his nose. Swallowing hard he pulled his face away from her. "I'm good."

Pressing her lips together she pulled the fingers of the hand left hanging in the air into a fist and let it drop to her side. "I see. But I'm not going to lay down unless you come with me. You need to take it easy, Billy. Humor me."

He smirked and nodded, "Trust me that I'm humorin' you. Just go lay down. I'll be there in a minute."

Billy chalked it up to Janelle still being half asleep as the reason why she had conceded so easily. Reluctantly she backed up and turned to disappear down the hall and he watched her, his eyes trailing up her body as she worked on pulling off her hoodie to reveal the simple tank she wore beneath. Once she was out of sight he listened for the customary dull thumps that meant that she had kicked her sneakers off and across the room in her trademark fashion.

There was the rattle of the refrigerator door as he pulled it open to peer inside but it was more for show than actually being in search of anything even remotely edible inside. He was killing time before he would have to go back to his room. Back to Janelle laying in his bed waiting for him like he knew she would be- because that's the way she was and the way she had always been. On some level Billy found that he hated her for it. That through their ups and downs through the years she had remained loyal and somewhat forgiven him for his stupidity when most would have hightailed it away from him at the drop of a hat.

Then again that was exactly why he loved her... and pushed her away just as much.

Janelle had always been the highlight of his day; her smile, her laugh, her knowing looks, her voice. HER. That was it. She just _was. _There were no more explanation to give. Meant for him and no one else and in knowing that, _feeling _it, he fought it off just as desperately; kept her at an arm's distance for her own good. Or rather, that's the mantra he repeated to himself every time they saw each other as he believed that it was bad enough that she had him as a friend which meant that she was instantly guilty by association. Then again, Janelle was no angel herself. Which was yet another tally on the board as to why Billy had to keep his distance.

She was too perfect for him. The right combination of heaven and hell.

"Shit," he murmured in realizing that he had been a million miles away and still standing in front of the open fridge and with a frown he pushed the door shut and looked down the hallway to what was waiting for him.

Her voice greeted him as he came to a stop in the doorway, but she wasn't speaking to him but rather on the phone to the garage letting them know that she wouldn't be in for the next few days. Once she had hung up he quirked a brow at her.

"A few days?" He asked while moving to close the bedroom door. The simple task felt as if he was shutting them off from the rest of the world.

Slim fingers of her left hand worked at pulling the tie from her hair as she set her phone aside with the other before laying down to face him, her arms finding their way around one of his pillows as she settled. And he watched, transfixed, as her chest expanded while pulling in deep breath, along with his scent into her lungs; which was a mixture of stale cigarette smoke and his favored cologne, along with the musk that only belonged to him. In some way Billy always felt as if his smell marked her, claiming her as his own to the outside world.

"I'm on babysitting duty to make sure you don't injure yourself a hell of a lot more then you already are," she stated matter-of-factly with a saccharine smile while patting the empty side of the bed in an indication to join her.

Billy, well on his way back to bed, stopped still and stared at her. "You're fuckin' kiddin' me, right? I don't need a babysitter, Janelle."

"Remember, you're supposed to be humoring me."

The man grunted in response and completed the move of joining her in bed but rather then lay down he sat up, fixing a pillow to cushion his back against the wall. In silence he looked down at her only to look away when she shifted her head back against the pillow to look up at him instead.

"Can I ask what happened?" She asked quietly and as Billy turned his eyes to hers he found that she wasn't looking up at him. Rather, her eyes were trained at his ribs.

Before he realized what he was doing his lips were parting and he was recounting the events of the night; from conducting business on his corner and the few new customers that had been referred to him to when he was jumped by three guys and robbed of all the night's earnings.

He let out a long sigh and rubbed at the top of his head roughly. "I need to call Bodie."

Janelle propped herself up on an elbow only to turn over and lay on her stomach. "I called him last night after I finished with you and let him know that you were out of commission for the next day or so."

"You did what now?" Billy glared at her, jaw tight to which she responded with a roll of her eyes in her sign that she didn't care that he was bothered by her stepping in.

"You heard me. Don't know if you've noticed but you're not exactly in the best shape to be hunting down the punks who did this to you. Especially not with your ribs the way they are now." She bat her eyelashes at him comically and laughed when he looked away. "Billy, c'mon, you've got to take a break sometime. It sucks that it had to be under the conditions you're in but take advantage of it, yeah?"

Billy smirked and watched her from the corner of his eye. "Is that right? And while I'm here relaxin' with you who's goin' to tell Bones about the money that was lost? You? Because you can be my guest. Trust me that he ain't sexist when it comes to beatin' somebody to the ground."

After all this effort he'd gone through to keep her as far away from the man he could only call his father through the help of genetics there was no way in hell he would let Bones lay a finger on Janelle. Billy would happily be beaten to a bloody pulp any day of the week if it meant that she would be safe and as far away from the man as possible.

Her body shifting at his side prompted him to come back to the present, head turning to look down at her at finding that she was staring up at him. "What?"

"For a second, just a second, can you forget about Bones? The crew?" She slowly worked to sit up next to him, dark hair shifting over naked shoulders as she did so. "Joe's knocked out in the next room, you've got nothing to worry about. So be a little selfish and lay down for a while. Rest. We can't do anything about what happened until you're better. You're not going to get far with those ribs looking the way they do."

"Janelle," he muttered with a groan.

She scoffed and threw her arms up, her head tilting back to allow her to train her gaze on the ceiling momentarily before focusing on him again. "I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't with you, Billy. I can't genuinely be here trying to help you without you fighting every step of the way with me and if I acted as if I didn't give a damn you'd fight me then too."

Silence settled between them as Janelle continued to watch him, her gaze burning into his skin as he stared straight ahead and across the room. That only lasted for another few moments because then the bed was moving as she turned to lay on her side with her back to him, but it was the chuckle that met his ears that had him turning his head to look at her.

"What's so funny?"

"I'm not going anywhere, Billy. Neither are you." Her body shifted as she repositioned the pillow in her arms, a yawn stretching out her words. "Get some sleep... and quit staring at my ass."

The sound that erupted from his throat and rushed past his lips was a surprise even to him. "Don't flatter yourself, girl, just go to sleep."

"Only if you promise I'll get to hear more of that when I wake up," she mumbled, losing the fight with sleep.

Billy stared at her back, "Hear more of what?"

All that came in reply was the deep sigh that confirmed that Janelle had finally drifted off, leaving Billy alone with his thoughts.


	6. Within You Without You

_And the people who hide themselves behind a wall of illusion  
Never glimpse the truth, then it's far too late, when they pass away _

_- Within You Without You_, The Beatles

* * *

Billy swore he had only closed his eyes for a minute but the realization of how wrong he was quickly dawned on him as he cast a slow glance around the room; the sun still shining on the other side of the blinds a signal that the day was well into the afternoon. He grit his teeth together as he fought to straighten up from the sitting position he had fallen asleep in, every single muscle crying out in protest in his attempt to right the wrong of the way he had bullied his body into such an uncomfortable sleeping arrangement with the wall at his back. As he settled to lay down he turned his eyes to Janelle, who was now laying on her stomach, her head turned away from him, hands buried beneath the pillow she had claimed.

Countless seconds turned to minutes that he stared at the expanse of skin that was revealed to him thanks to her tank riding up along her back at her shifting around to get comfortable and after what seemed like a lifetime he reached out with the intention to pull the soft fabric back down only to stop short of completing the task. Blue eyes narrowed dangerously at finding the two, three inch wide scars that claimed stake on her skin just beneath her ribs and he swallowed hard at the memory that he had buried so deep for the last two years surfaced.

He remembered the phone call as if it had occurred yesterday; the sheer panic in Janelle's voice over the phone urging him to come down to the garage doing a number on his heart and lungs all over again as it did that day. To this day there was no explaining the absolute, terrifying fear that coursed through him as he and the boys sped towards the garage to her aid, and it felt then that no matter how fast he had moved to get to her it wasn't enough. The usual fifteen minute drive was drastically shortened to eight, the car not having even made it to a complete stop before Billy was jumping out and running inside with Bodie quick on his heels.

The garage had been trashed; tools littered the floor, necessary equipment smashed into millions of pieces, the cars that had currently been there to be repaired for one thing or another had also been fair game. But amidst all that the one image Billy would forever have ingrained into his mind, seared into his brain for the rest of eternity, was finding Janelle cradling Jordan's lifeless body in the middle of the garage.

"_Janelle, baby," he murmured while moving towards her, kneeling at her side, blood seeping into his jeans. "Baby girl, look at me." _

_She shook violently at his touch, bloodshot eyes turning to look at him; in the second he got the chance to look her in the face he knew something was instantly wrong. Normally sun kissed skin was deathly pale and on instinct he looked her over quickly, the wounds he was looking for having been punctured into her skin by a switchblade._

"_Bodie, get on the phone and call a fuckin' ambulance right fuckin' now." As the order left him in a rush his hands worked on cradling Janelle's face to hold her gaze. "You're goin' to be ok, you hear me? Janelle, you hear me?"_

"_They came in," she whispered, tears continuing to escape the corners of her eyes, "Shot him on the spot while his back was turned." _

_A knot had developed in his throat as he watched the far away look in her eyes that was a combination of both blood loss and shock and it took all he had to keep it together as he found her searching his eyes, his face, in what he knew was her way of holding on to consciousness in an effort to keep from passing out._

_While holding his gaze her fingers never ceased in their movements over Jordan's hair, "Promise me something?"_

_Billy dropped his head, blinking hard to fight back tears before bringing his eyes back to her. "Fuckin' anythin'. Name it."_

"_That if I make it out of this we're hunting them down."_

"_What are you talkin' about 'if'? You're goin' to be good and when you are then we'll get down to business, but you can't be sayin' all this 'if' bullshit. Because if somethin' happens to you I'm goin' to lose my fuckin' mind and the whole world is goin' to burn."_

As a sleepy smile of satisfaction had curled her lips the paramedics arrived to pull him away so as to attend to her and the rest was history.

Of course the entire charade of the cops playing a concerned role in what had transpired had been pure bullshit as they had pretty much chalked up Jordan's death as a gang related killing, and that although they were going to look into all possible leads they were still going to come up empty handed. Billy knew that the cops had stopped looking before they had even begun given what part of town the crime had been committed. Hell, it was more like they dropped it on the spot when they realized that they were dealing with Bones' own crew of dealers.

Janelle had spent about a week in the hospital after she had been admitted, the doctors wanting her to stay in their worry about the risk of her wounds becoming infected and the severity of the blood she had lost. He had been there waiting for her as she had been pushed out of the hospital's sliding glass doors via wheelchair, the expression she wore devoid of emotion although she had tried to give him a little smile. Jordan had been cremated the next morning and Janelle's nightmares began two weeks after that.

Billy snapped back to the present as the sound of Janelle's legs moving prompted him to blink hard in an effort to chase the memories away, jaw set tightly as his fingers closed around the hem of her shirt and pulled the fabric back down over her skin, his hand lingering as he watched as she settled back down.

He was done being in bed.

Holding his breath he sat up again, the motion causing just as much pain as it had the last time but given his resolve he bit the bullet and climbed out of bed with a cautious glance back at the still sleeping woman. Phone in hand he slipped out of the room, thumb pressing the familiar sequence of numbers that made up Bodie's phone number as he closed the door quietly behind him.

"Boss? You ok?" Bodie's worried voice carried along the line.

"I'm good, I'm good. Janelle told me she called you."

"Yeah, she did. Told me you were pretty busted up and would be out of commission for a while but to wait for your call. I've been waitin', bro. What happened?"

Billy settled himself down into one of the rickety chairs in the kitchen and lit up a cigarette as he recounted the night's events just as he had to Janelle, his anger seeping into his words as he clutched the phone tightly to his ear as if to make sure Bodie caught every word he said.

"I'll get Tommy and Jamie to make some rounds tonight, see what we can get and I'll give you a call."

"Good. Anythin' on Bones?"

"Nah, not a thing. No news is good news."

He frowned as he stamped out his cigarette in the ashtray, "Not always. Matter of fact, meet me at the bar after ten and you and the boys can fill me in."

"You got it." The other man grew quiet before chuckling, "What about Janelle? She made it pretty clear-"

"You don't need to worry about Janelle," came the gruff reply as he smirked.

"Just lookin' out for you, boss. I'll get at you if I hear anything."

"Yup." Billy snapped the phone shut and tossed it onto the table.

"You do know Janelle's goin' to have your ass, right?"

Billy looked up to find Joe standing in the kitchen's doorway with an amused look on his face.

"Don't start," he bit out, pointing a finger at him.

"I'm thinkin' I should go wake her up..." Joe made as if to turn towards the hallway only to then hold his hands up in surrender as Billy made as if to get up. "Chill! Chill!"

"Lower your fuckin' voice." Despite the fact that he was trying to sound stern he was chuckling as he settled himself into his seat once more. "Plus, I'd never taken you to be a snitch. She payin' you to keep an eye on me?"

"I'm not at liberty to discuss that with you, sir," Joe replied with mock authority while making his way into the kitchen in search of something to eat.

Billy chuckled as he watched Joe move around, the sound of the cupboards opening and closing following him and then the rattle of the refrigerator door the last signal that his search had come up fruitless.

"Fuck, I'm hungry."

"Let's go grocery shopping then."

Both men turned their heads to find Janelle walking down the hallway towards them, hands working on pulling her hair into a ponytail, a small smile on her lips. She settled on leaning up against the kitchen entryway while crossing her feet at the ankles.

Joe instantly perked up at the idea. "Hell yes!"

"You mind if I borrow your car?"

Billy gently shook his head while keeping his eyes locked on her, or rather the one good one he had. "Keys are on the dresser."

Janelle looked at Joe and quirked her head in the direction of the hall, "Go get dressed and grab the keys. I'll meet you downstairs."

After Joe had moved past her to do what he had been told Janelle straightened up and moved forward to stand before Billy but that only lasted a moment before she was crouching down in front of him, her hands finding their place on his knees. There was a moment of silence as they watched each other closely without saying a word. It was the sound of the Joe flushing the toilet down the hall that brought their staring contest to an end; Janelle blinked first.

"Stop dwelling," she murmured while rocking back on her heels and standing, her lips meeting Billy's wrinkled brow and lingering as she felt his confusion at her words seep into her. "I'm breathing. That's all that matters."

Without him realizing it Billy's hands rose to rest against Janelle's waist, thumbs tucking themselves into the belt loops there as if to secure his hold.

"You were awake?" His voice was barely above a whisper as Janelle pulled away and he was looking up at her, a chuckle escaping him at the attitudish arch of a brow he received in response.

"When have I ever slept through you touching me?"

Again the sound that had escaped him earlier that morning rushed past his lips again, his laughter rumbling within his chest. "True."

Slowly Janelle pulled herself away, forcing Billy's hand to relinquish their hold. "Your ass better be here when we get back."

"Ok, mom," Billy drawled with a smirk as he watched Janelle turn to leave, Joe appearing from down the hall dressed and with the car keys in hand. He leveled a hard stare on the younger man. "Don't overdo it, you hear me? Get what you need and come home. Don't fuckin' bother her to buy anythin' else."

"Yeah, yeah," Joe shot back with a laugh, middle finger extending into the air as he disappeared from sight.

The sound of the apartment door closing signaled that Billy was finally alone and no sooner had he stood up from the table that his phone went off. Snatching it up as he exited the kitchen he read Bodie's name flashing across the screen with every ring.

"Yo. You got some news for me?"

There was a moment of silence before his boy's voice carried across the line in a grim tone.

"Billy, you ain't never gonna believe this shit."


End file.
